I don't have 3D glasses to test it out, but I am curious to know if the attached logo example (which comes from a .xyz domain registry website) is designed done with a 3D effect in mind so that when you look at it through 3D glasses, it actually looks like a real 3D logo?

Based on the 3d glasses I kept for some reason after seeing The Hobbit, that doesn't actually translate to 3d.

I'm pretty sure artificial 3d affects needs to be paired to the glasses/user-environment somehow: The screen contrast; the exact tones of red/teal; how offset to make the layers; those must correspond to something on the user's end. I suspect movies can pull this off because they control the environment – but it feels like there are far too many variables to put it into an at-home situation.

Thanks so much for your input, Derek. And for checking the logo through 3d glasses as well.

I've noticed an increase in such an effect in websites and social media. People are posting photos on Instagram, for example, with a similar effect (by applying a filter). If it doesn't reproduce the 3d effect, then I am wondering what the hype is about... I do like the effect though.

I'm personally skeptical you'd ever be able to bring something like 3d effects to the mainstream - we still battle IE, so commonplace 3D is like a manned mission to mars – theoretically possible, but realistically unlikely.

Samsung and competitors that I can't remember (Maybe Panasonic?) have 3D TVs, so a 3D capable display isn't much of a stretch. But like I mentioned, you'd probably need to control the tech. I doubt Samsung glasses work on another 3D tv.

It's possible that was designed for a controlled environment and with the right tech, it works. But it's more likely it's a bad design trend that probably won't gain any momentum.

edit: it's also possible it's magic eye affect (reduced by the forums's image posting methods). I have a glass screen, which means I get tons of glare. Looking at the thumbnail the teal/read effect wasn't noticeable - and when I viewed the large version it might have been too large / I was too close. In the shade, I sort of see it in the thumbnail – but that could be a placebo effect.

Either way, I'm pretty sure it's impossible without a counterpart (IE glasses), so it's still a very strange thing to try.